Photographing Webs

[cinderella]

We are experiencing a springtime phenom that occurs every so many years. Worms are devouring all the new leaves on our live oaks and in the process swing from strings swaying in the wind and covering the trees and everything in sight with webs. I have been running around with my camera trying to capture this eerie sight. But what is glistening in the sun and looking like a halloween scene is not captured by my camera. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or can I make the webs pop out on the photo I have uploaded. While I hate getting the little worms all over me I would love to record this sight.

[DigitalDevo]

Try gently spraying some water on the "webs".. like a mist type spray.. but very gently.. this will alllow the sun to reflect off of the webs and allow the camera to catch it better.. Just be very gentle and use a mist so as not to actually hurt or disturb the insects and their activities too much. I have used this effect on spider webs before and works very nice.

[cinderella]

Thanks for that suggestion. I will remember it when I am trying to photograph an individual web. What I am dealing with here is acres of webs over trees etc. And now they (the worms are webbing my house). So ---too much to spray.

[Flora]

Hi Cinderella,

I just tried something on the picture you posted .... It might not be the best solution, but I think the webs are a little more visible now ....

... Wow what a phenom... I've never seen anything like that in my life ....

[Leah]

It's hard to say, but you might do better if you arrange your viewpoint so that you don't capture the sun in the frame - you're on the right lines shooting backlit the way you are, but the sun is causing your highlights to blow out and may be affecting the way the webs come out in the photograph.

Or I may be completely wrong and doing that will make no difference at all...

[DigitalDevo]

WOW.. didn't realize it was that many/much webs.. Geesshhh.. never seen anything like that.. must be very cool looking to say the least!

[Mike]

Try getting out really early while there is still dew on the webs (dawn?). Also the low sun angle may give you a better view. See if you can isolate a couple of trees that have the sun on them aganst a dark background. Remember that the more trees you have in the photo, the smaller the webs will be so they just may become too small for the resolution of the camera you are using.

Mike

[cinderella]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I've included a black and white version of the photo . And another of a fence covered in webs and worms. Maybe they're from another planet. If my house is not enveloped in a cocoon by AM I will try to get out early with my camera.
Flora, I do think the webs look more prominent on your version. What did you do???
Again, thanks.

[Flora]

Hi Cinderella,

...Hope you are not 'cocooned' in!!!

I don't mind a worm or two .... but platoons of them wold really give me the creeps!!!!

What I did with your picture is the following:

• Duplicated the BG Layer.

• Desaturated it (Ctrl+Shift+U).

• Inverted it (Ctrl+I).

• Set the blending to Soft Light.

• Decreased the Opacity to 85-83%.

[Gary Richardson]

Whereabouts in the world are you, I've never seen anything like this before.
Here in Britain, we have everything in moderation, except rain.

[cinderella]

Why, Texas, of course .

[Rexx]

Hi, I didn't notice this thread before, and maybe it's too late. But your question is rather a photographic one than a retouching one.

First, stand where the reflections are strongest. That is probably not with the sun in your back.

Secondly, the reflections are very often caused by movement. (Same with sun glittering on waves.) So in order to catch them you might try long shutter speeds. This might require an ND filter in daylight. If you have a Canon you're lucky. They often have one built-in.